Stephen Fry in America...

[Melvil]

...is rather entertaining, but what exactly is the point?

 

[PaulB]

What do they know of England, who only England know?

I thought it was great and a good insight into Fry's perception of America. Mind you, I'd been to several parts of New England that he travelled through in last night's programme so it was a nice reminisce.

 

[rich p]

I had to switch it off. It was superficial, pointless and neither interesting or funny.IMHO

I preferred the approach of Paul Merton in his India travelogue.

 

[Melvil]

What do they know of England, who only England know?

I thought it was great and a good insight into Fry's perception of America. Mind you, I'd been to several parts of New England that he travelled through in last night's programme so it was a nice reminisce.

The single fact about Vermont in last night's programme was that it had a Ben and Jerry's. Not much insight there! However, the mount Washington and Boston bits were good, I thought.

 

[PaulB]

The single fact about Vermont in last night's programme was that it had a Ben and Jerry's. Not much insight there! However, the mount Washington and Boston bits were good, I thought.

There's a pub just up the road from that Ben and Jerry's production plant (where it was in the 90s anyway) that's built into a rock face. Fascinating looking place I thought so I dropped Mrs B and the B-ettes off at the hotel and went up to this pub. Big mistake! There was an Irish theme which was noticeable about the whole pub, which isn't such a bad thing...usually! The first thing that hit you about this place upon entry was the massive poster of Bobby Sands on the wall and the banners and pictures all around the bar celebrating the IRA and the "freedom fighters" and all condemning London, England and the fascist British government for denying the poor Irish of their liberty! Maybe Fry should have gone in there if it's still run on the same principle?

 

[Melvil]

There's a pub just up the road from that Ben and Jerry's production plant (where it was in the 90s anyway) that's built into a rock face. Fascinating looking place I thought so I dropped Mrs B and the B-ettes off at the hotel and went up to this pub. Big mistake! There was an Irish theme which was noticeable about the whole pub, which isn't such a bad thing...usually! The first thing that hit you about this place upon entry was the massive poster of Bobby Sands on the wall and the banners and pictures all around the bar celebrating the IRA and the "freedom fighters" and all condemning London, England and the fascist British government for denying the poor Irish of their liberty! Maybe Fry should have gone in there if it's still run on the same principle?

That place sounds a little scary! Surely it's chilled out a little now, though, one hopes...

 

[Maz]

I preferred the approach of Paul Merton in his India travelogue.

If it's as entertaining as his China series, I'll be watching it!

 

[rich p]

If it's as entertaining as his China series, I'll be watching it!

You'll need to watch the first one on i player if C5 have one.

 

[marinyork]

Thought a lot of the stuff in the Beeb's america season has been weird and a disappointment. The president thing was a bit diluted down, the other documentary they might as well have called it something to do with the West Wing as they were waxing lyrical about that for most of it. Simon Schama's first in his series was certainly not what I expected and Stephen Fry's was also disappointing (perhaps being edited too much). The only one that was really good was that Atwood one.

 

[swee'pea99]

I was surprised how lightweight it was. Probably down to '50 states in 6 progs' - how could it be anything but? Enjoyable enough tho', in a rather vaccuous Sunday night on the sofa sort of way.

 

[Mr Pig]

I haven't seen it but I think Stephen Fry is always worth watching, lovely guy.

I'm too busy watching 'The History Of The Guitar' and 'Later Guitar Heroes', fantastic programs.

 

[marinyork]

I really like watching Stephen Fry too but so much of this america season is just lightweight stuff.

 

[Melvil]

I really like watching Stephen Fry too but so much of this america season is just lightweight stuff.

As someone said earlier it may have been heavily edited...but, generally, Fry is capable of so much more than this...he's very incisive (and I've seen him in fully flow in Edinburgh whilst speaking about one of his books) but this seems to be a bit of Louis Theroux crossed with Michael Palin.

 

[Wolf04]

I'm normally a big fan of Stephen Fry but was dissapointed with this programme. It jumped from one state to the next without giving any real insight into America or it's people or even Stephen Fry.

 

[ChrisKH]

Whilst Stephen Fry is intelligent and witty, I can't help but think that Bill Bryson would do a better job of it. He has a foot in both camps and he knows a darn sight more about America and American history.